His Queen (Imhotep x FemHarry)
by The Dark Waltz
Summary: Imhotep was cursed by an imposter. When the imposter is awakened great disaster will be brought upon the land, the only saving grace would come from Imhotep's soulmate. - Part of my Colorblind Til Meeting Series
1. Soulmates

He was frozen in time, his mind still active while he was trapped in the secret chamber below the imposter's coffin.

The imposter who stole away his legend of goodwill, intelligence, and renaissance within the Egyptian lands.

The imposter was the one who had cursed him in the walls of his grave, his unplottable grave.

It seemed fitting the first hundred or more years knowing that the imposter had suffered from the worst of all deaths. However, with his death the last promise of being encountered was lost as the land of the dead sealed them both away for good.

He could only hope that the Medjai had received his message before he had been captured. Hope, that they knew that with the awakening of the false Imhotep there would be a chance for them to be all saved when he was awoken as well. However, he knew that fate could be cruel.

After all the only one who could unlock his curse was his soulmate, who he'd been told wouldn't arrive for more than a hundred centuries.

\--

The revolution had ended with a treaty between the muggle-born and purebloods. The Ministry had fallen long ago, and the Riddles' reign had long since come about, however, several stragglers who did not like change had formed groups which sought to rebel against each other.

One such a rebel group had been the ones to destroy her family while the so-called "Light" side's leader sought to manipulate her into his own secret weapon. Perhaps if she hadn't connected with Hermione when they were young she would have been swayed. Perhaps if she had not imprinted on Hermione, she would have stayed abused and controlled. However, that was not what had happened and once they reached school and joined with their third sister Akasuki they became an unstoppable force that took over Hogwarts by storm. They were nicknamed the Silver Trio after their house colors of navy and silver.

It was upon one of their many early studies that Hermione discovered the letters of one high-priest Imhotep to his love and soulmate, his queen. They had started to be written strangely enough in the early 20th century when the Magical Realm of Egypt was being rebuilt.

They were all written to: "My Queen…"

The girls had fawned over the intelligent writings of the legendary genius as he spoke to the soulmate that he knew would come from the future.

It was Hermione who first suggested that Imhotep was Hera's soulmate. No matter how much Miss Potter tried to deny it she felt drawn to the words on the page and sometimes when she couldn't sleep, due to bad memories from the Dursleys, she thought she could hear a deep voice calming her and humming her to sleep.

Luna who the girls met their second year always seemed to know of everything before it happened. The day after the re-opening of Hogwarts she bequeathed a message and a gift to each of the Silver Trio.

The next morning the Daily Prophet would read: "The Silver Trio has disappeared without a trace!"


	2. Her Note

Hera's note consisted of a set of instructions and directions, signed with Luna's whimsical script "This is how you shall find your King."

The first instructions were how many turns of the time turner she needed to take followed by where she needed to be when she first spun them.

This was how Hera found herself in Cairo at an inn that had been around since the early 20th century. When she signed in she was ushered into a small suite that had been locked quite extravagantly and she was insured that no one had set foot in it as instructed. When she asked the manager, who spoke British English quite well, what the history of the room was they gave her an odd look.

"The room was bought by a girl of starlight with large amount of gold, more gold than any had seen for some time. Legendary amount of gold in fact. She stated she would buy it for 78 years exactly until a girl with hair like a flame and donning a name for a queen came to claim it."

Hera was shocked, how long had Luna been planning this and for how long had she known for a fact who her soulmate was. It wasn't surprising though given whom Luna's soulmate was.

Standing in the room felt like she had already travelled back in time. There was a large trunk in the corner, a writing desk by the window and a canopied bed to her right. Rich Morrocan carpets were layered across the floors. The walls of the room a sandy beige and a window opened out to the busy street below.

"Here goes everything." Hera took a deep breath and turned the time turner exactly 78 turns backwards. The room swirled around her and then settled back around her, nothing seemed to have changed except for the sounds coming from outside the window of the suite. Opening it up she saw the streets of an older version of Cairo. It was dusty and more historic, with its sand roads and motor vehicles from the 20s here and there dotting the road.

Taking a deep breath, Hera turned toward the trunk in the corner. She wasn't usually one to follow rules but Luna was never wrong, something she learned through trial and error back in the school years she wasn't fighting against the revolution.

A sigh of relief whistled through her teeth as she saw trousers and loose linen shirts that would breathe under the hot sun. A hat with a veil and a compass engraved, "So that you may always find your way home" on its back.

After getting dressed, Hera looked longingly at the bed but shook her head. Time was of the essence, she had to go save a man from hanging. Thankfully some of the outrageous amounts of gold were also found within the luggage left for her, enough to bribe any prison guard.

"Now we must watch as he strangles himself to death."

After several confundus charms, Hera found herself behind the chief prison guard.

"He knows the way to Hananumptra!"

Hera decided she liked the girl to the side, desperate to win despite failure seemed to be strangling itself.

She watched amused for a moment as the young woman began to garter with the greedy guard.

"As entertaining as this is, both of you will lose your chance if he dies while you argue."

Hera pulled a pistol from a harness on her side, grinning remembering how she first learned how to shoot, before aiming and shooting two consecutive shots. The second severing the rope that was hanging the man so that he fell to the ground gasping and rolling upon the ground.

"Here's your first taste of that 25%." Hera smacked down a pouch filled with a fair amount of the gold she had been given on the table in-between the two.

The young woman with the veiled hat glanced up at Hera eyes wide, as the guard spoke in turn, "Who are you?"

"A soon-to-be friend of the nearly deceased and the only way they won't kill themselves on the way to the famed city of the dead."

"Evie O'Connell."

"Hera Potter, nice to make your acquaintance."

"Smashing shots, I say."

Hera turned her head to view the grinning man that strode up behind them as they walked out to the front of prison waiting for their newly released guide.

"Thank you, I appreciate you not saying for a woman. If you had I might have had to punch you."

"Wouldn't think of it, Miss Potter."

"Who are you?"

This time the voice came from the man striding from the prison rubbing his sore neck as he limped slightly and swung a sack by his side.

"This is Miss Hera Potter. She saved your life." Evelyn turned toward the oncoming man her nose wrinkling at his dirty appearance.

"I'll be joining you on your trip to Hanumptra."

"Another treasure hunter then, Miss Potter?" He scoffed at her taking her in her appearance from her booted feet to her fedora on top of her head.

"I have no need for gold. However, I do love secrets and mysteries. I have also a few other talents that might come in handy when you are going to cursed places."

He let out a choked sort of laugh.

Evelyn turned her nose up at him, a stray curl coming from her tidy chignon at the back of her head. "I for one am happy to have another woman on this expedition. She already has proven her worth to me."

Jonathan, Evelyn's brother spoke up, "Well as I much love a chat we should get prepared for our voyage via the river. We will meet at the river's docks at the stroke of seven."


	3. The Voyage

Screams and heat were what woke up Hera from her content sleep.

"Why can I never get a restful sleep!"

She stood from her bed only to shoot down when she heard shots from outside. Quickly she grabbed the pouch containing all her things, thanking the heavens for her ingenious sister who had made nearly limitless extendable and featherlight charms. Thankful also to sleeping in her clothes for once, and grabbed her holster for her guns, her wand holster still on her forearm. She burst from her cabin only to come across Rick hurrying Evelyn, who still was in her nightgown, to the edge of the boat. Only to have multitudes of black covered assailants shooting every which way.

She sighed, "Once more into battle." She knew Rick heard her only from a momentary scrunch of his eyebrows but he was far too focused on trying to find an escape while keeping Evelyn clean of any bullets really to take note.

As he threw Evelyn over the railing he turned so he was back was to Hera's and hers to his as they fended off the invaders together.

Hera could tell from his stance that he had fought in a war not long ago, and even though she had to kill once or twice during her journey to freedom she didn't like it.

She shot to maim rather than to kill, before following Rick over the side of the boat the once prison guard watching them with wide eyes.

The voyage across the sands, despite the heat, Hera felt her heart beat steadily to the thrum of the footprints left in the sand behind them. The journey was far from comfortable, and yet she felt as if this was truly how to see the desert before them in all its glory on top of a camel viewing the horizon, sand dunes rising towards the sun.

Even as dusk came the desert only continued to grow on Hera, even as the sand chafed her skin, her lips chapped and her eyes squinted.

A smile cracked across her lips as she saw Evelyn nearly falling on top of Rick ahead of her.

"Could they be anymore obvious?" Jonathan snorted from beside her, as the prison guard also started to fall asleep to their right.

"Well they are soulmates."

"How did you know?"

Hera let out a quiet laugh, "You said it yourself, they are obvious."

As dawn started arriving, Hera could only imagine the reddish tinge the skies above them must have. They were joined by the Americans, all waiting anxiously for what their guide along with Rick had stopped to see.

"Get ready for it." Rick squinted to the landscape before them, a stretch of sand like they had been seeing miles upon miles.

Evelyn gazed at him confused, "For what?"

"We are about to be shone the way."

Hera watched silently as the sun rose over the horizon and as it did Hananuptra rose from the desert like a mirage ahead of them.

She readied herself, she knew there would be a race and despite the fact she thought it was silly she could see the appeal for excitement reasons.

"Here we go again," Rick muttered to the side.

"What O'Connell scared about some little ol' adventure!" Hera threw her head back and proceeded to spur her camel forward before anyone else a yell of joy coming forth from her mouth. This was more fun she'd had in a long time, even the ache of missing her sisters beside her did not diminish the absolute thrill of the moment.


	4. Hananuptra

"Do they know somethin' we don't know?" The American chewed his tobacco and spat it out at the sand below them.

"They are led by a woman, what does a woman know?"

"For one she knows when not to be a complete arse." Hera came up the hill in front of the men. As she climbed up the hill she turned back before speaking once more, "They are being led by women, plural; if you wish to insult us at least get your grammar correct."

Hera smirked at the man with the umbrella and fez when he sneered at her. Then looked up to where Evey was using some artifacts that were tossed temporarily to the side by the dig below them. Her cracked lips smiled as she pulled up her bedoin skirt with her pants now dry in her bag.

"A courting gift already, O'Connell sure works fast." Hera slid next to Evey and nudged her in the side looking at the excavation tools in her hand.

"He stole them."

"Borrowed."

"Same thing, Miss Potter."

"Hera."

"Hera." Evey smiled at her. "Well I suppose it's time to check out below isn't it."

"...and then there was light." The mirrors reflected the sunlight from above giving a sunny glow to the 3000 year old rooms they found themselves in.

"Much better than a lumos."

As they went through the preparation chambers they found themselves deep into the tunnels that ran parallel to them. The deeper they went the much needed light from the flames in O'Connells torch were needed.

A great sound erupted from above their heads, like a thousand rats screeching and scurrying above them.

"Bugs."

"Bugs, I hate bugs." The prison guard shuddered turning around as if expecting to be overtaken at any moment.

Around the corner they found themselves at the foot of Anubis's legs. A great sorrowful low voiced wale came from the halls causing the group to shrink back against the ornate wall beneath his feet. Hera peered into the dark, wishing for a moment to draw her wand and summon her patronus as a shiver ran down her spine. She backed up as well until she was shoulder to shoulder with Evey.

As O'Connell turned a corner the voices grew louder and before he had turned around it Hera had already let out a sigh of relief even as everyone else jumped to see a dozen guns pointed their way by the cowboys of the other team.

As the boys began to fight both of the women had looked down at the disturbed sand at their feet, a small smirk paralleling on both of their faces before they straightened to face the boys.

"Oh for goodness sake, be nice children." Evey stepped forward on one end while Hera came up on the other side.

"We can share the same site."

"Yes," Evey nodded toward Hera before turning her head towards her soulmate catching him in a meaningful glance, "After all, there are other places we can dig."

The boys backed up from each other while both Evey and Hera glanced at each other barely holding in their giggles at their antics.

They were just as bad as the opposing teams in Quidditch, all bickering and the like.

The room beneath the feet of Anubis held more promise after all it was closer to the legend of where the book of Ackmanruh would be.

Hera, however, was starting to get antsy. From the legends her and her sisters had found Imhotep didn't awaken until after tragedy fell upon the dig site. There was magical research to support the theory of an imposter also put under an ancient curse and that he was the one who caused so much destruction before the real Imhotep and his queen were able to straighten things out.

The closer Evey and the others got to the supposed legend's location the queasier Hera felt.

"Gents and lady, I think we should be careful we don't know exactly what we will actually…"

The ceiling cracked open and a large object fell inches from Evey, Hera and O'Connells feet.

"...unearth."

"It's a sarcophagus."

Hera stared at the hole and then at the coffin that sat in front of them as the dust settled around them and she stopped coughing.

"...or he did something very naughty."

"How about we take a rest and not touch the possibly cursed coffin?"

Jonathan turned toward Hera, "I'm surprised you seemed like such the adventurer."

"I've lived through many things in my young life but something I've learned from many trial and error is when it's better to not touch."

Jonathan shrugged and turned back to his sister who was examining and touching the coffin, "So who is it?"

"He who shall not be named."

"Well he certainly wasn't going to be able to get out of there." O' Connell tapped the lock.

"O'Connell has a point. Don't you see this is the very reason you thought this trip would be a bad idea. This coffin should not be opened."

Hera pulled back O'Connell, "Please I don't think this is a good idea. I came along to stop you three from making this kind of decision."

A series of shouts caused them all to turn away and rush toward the tunnels only to see the prison guard run past him and slam into the opposing wall falling dead to the ground.


	5. The Medjai

Night had fallen to the campsite, and while the other three spoke of their discovery Hera couldn't stop thinking about the coffin they found. Her instincts were telling her that it wasn't her soulmates. If so, then opening it would quite possibly bring about the destruction that she and her sisters had read about in the history books.

Perhaps it was time for her to find the Medjai, they no doubt should be watching Hananuptra. In fact, she wondered if they were perhaps the black clad 'assassins' that had sunk their ship. It would make sense, them trying to take out the adventurers before they reached the forbidden ruins.

A shout from Jonathan broke Hera from her concentration. Distant neighs made her turn around, as Rick ran off to investigate and the other two followed.

Hera ran to the nearest column that rose from the sand, a place that would give her a good vantage point of the two camps while keeping her protected. Her wand slipped down into her hand instinctively as she overlooked the outcrop of rock and stone surrounding her.

A mass of the black cloaked men, matching those from the ship, on horseback with hands clasped with torches and rifles upon their backs entered into Hananuptra. The Medjai had arrived.

Hera's crimson brows furrowed, she'd shot before to injure not kill on the ship but now it was even more sensitive. She needed to speak to their chief, but she was on the wrong side of the coming fight. She glanced back to where her companions had run, the Medjai warning call echoing in the still cold night air. Could she protect both them and the Medjai?

The shots had been fired on both sides. Rick was on high ground, Evey on the sand below also making her first shot and Hera shook her head as she saw even Jonathan take a shot or two while taking draughts of the dead prison guard's ale.

Taking a breath she made her choice. Keeping hidden she pointed her wand and began stunning the horses from afar to stop the ones from coming in the back; the riders when they were aiming toward her companions and the other diggers and Americans when they went to shoot the Medjai.

Climbing closer, staying within the shadow of the column, she saw as Rick wrestled with one of the riders the man's head scarf came off to show his face tattooed with the sign of chief.

"Merlin, what now?"

Her answer came into play as Rick grabbed one of the dynamite lighting it and warned off the approaching chieftain.

The chieftain stopped raising his hand to his men to stop their wave, "Enough, no more bloodshed." Turning towards O'Connell the chieftain commanded him, "You must leave. Leave this place or die."

As his men began to ride off, he turned back once more; "You have one day."

"Shoot." Hera whispered from behind the pillar, whispering a quick rennervate at the stunned men. The closest one, she slipped a coin in his robe's pocket before he awoke. The coin had a tracking spell on it that she and her sisters had created in the time of the rebellion to make sure neither of them would stay kidnapped and would have rescue on its way.

Once the Medjai cleared out, Hera came out from her cover and made her way back to her comrades.

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Hera awoke again to the sound of a scream, from her own tent, this time it was Beni from the other group running from the ruins shouting, "Beware of the curse!"

A sigh blew from her lips, "Great, just great!" The others were already inside, and that made her run towards the ruins. Hoping she got there before they opened the sarcophagus.

"The sacred spells have been chiselled off. This man must have been condemned not only in this life but also in the next."

Hera ran down the corridor as she heard Evey's words.

"Don't open that coffin!"

Their screams came just as she finished her shout, her wand whipping into her hand as she rounded the corner only to see the three of them not being attacked by the undead rather the mummy having come forth from the sarcophagus. Still dead.

"...It looks as if he is still decomposing."

A shiver ran down Hera's spine as she gazed at the mummy, knowing now for sure that the one in the coffin wasn't her soulmate. He was the cursed one, the one who would bring about only destruction.

Jonathan glanced over at Hera, his brows raising in curiosity at the stick she held in front of her, "What's that?"

She blinked, her emerald eyes losing their daze, before flicking her wand back into its holster, "Merely a tool nothing else."

Technically she wasn't lying and it seemed the answer was good enough for Jonathan as he went back to surveying the "juicy" mummy. They were now crouched on the ground over the lid, surveying the scratch marks within.

"Death is only the beginning."

Hera calculated in her head how to go about her next steps. The coffin was open. She needed to inform the Medjai, but she also needed to be alerted if the mummy did actually awaken.

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Hera was able to get away easily without many suspecting a thing. Her tent was back in her bag, her things all ready put away. A notice-me-not charm upon her as she navigated the sea of sand, her wand in the air pointing the direction of the Medjai's camp.

She found it after only an hour and a half of searching, thankful for the cool night air and her power to create water easily. She laid on her stomach upon one of the dunes overlooking their encampment. Her eyes tried to search out a distinction between the tents, so she could make her way to the Chieftain's tent. So intent she didn't notice she had been snuck up upon a rough hand covering her mouth before she could scream and two sets of hands came on either end of her to bring her down over the dune into the camp.

Thankfully they brought her before the man she wished to see, she remained quiet as they discussed in hush tones to him in their own dialect. Sadly she could only capture a few words here and there.

She spoke up however in Arabic.

"I seeked you out, as the head of the Medjai. Those sworn to protect the cursed ruins."

The man lifted his hand to his men who began to speak over her.

"Why do you wish to speak to me?"

"I believe you know the truth regarding Imhotep. I came here from far away in order to awaken the real Imhotep and stop the destruction about to be brought upon by the imposter."

With a wave of his hands his men released her, and she stood up tall.

"How have you come to have this knowledge?"

"I read about it in the histories of my people. I read the letters of Imhotep to his queen. I believe I may be the one he's waited for, and if not I have a power that can only help in your fight against the undead that threaten to arise."

"Your people?" He peered down at her garb, "The British?" He spoke this time in English.

Hera laughed and shook her head. Her wand sliding into her hand as she waved it and transfigured her black robes into a pair of slacks and button up shirt.

His eyes widened as his men stiffened beside him.

"I have the letters." She pulled her bag from her side and slipped her hand whispering an "Accio", smiling at the chief who watched her arm slip past her elbow.

She handed him the scrolls. As he read, his eyes widened even more; "You are from the future. We had another like you come to speak of someone else that would come to help. A girl with hair like fire and the name of a queen."

Sweeping her fedora from her head and sweeping into a bow, her crimson mane hanging down before flipping over her shoulder after she came back up, "Hera Potter, at your service."

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It was while she helped treat some of his men that had been injured in the fight, that Hera told the man named Ardeth of the fact that the mummy had been unearthed and unveiled.

It was also then in the early morning and still dark outside as she poured over the old tomes Ardeth had regarding the true Imhotep of legend, that a voice whispered upon the wind carried over to her ears. Her elder wand thrummed against her skin and began to shake violently.

"Mistress…" The voice from the end of the war. The voice that was there when she had nearly died. When she awoke with her friends surrounding her ice cold body, crying as if they had just lost her. The voice who claimed to now be her servant.

The voice she knew belonged to only one identity, Death itself.

She ran outside only to run into Ardeth, "He's awoken. The imposter has awoken."


	6. Like Tales of Old

It was with a heavy heart that Hera decided to stay behind as the rest of the Medjai, including Ardeth rushed to the ruins. She knew that by the time they would reach Hananuptra many would have died already, there wasn't much she could do there. However, the scrolls that had been preserved by ancient spells of old held the truths she sought. She needed to find out where the imposter hid the true Imhotep.

In the scrolls there were several theories of where he could be, even stories from thousands of years ago when the Medjai had searched for him themselves but had not found him.

This at least narrowed down the search to the Land of the Dead, Hananuptra.

It was Ardeth that informed Hera of the monster's progression to Cairo to finish consuming those who took his canopic jars. It was then that Hera knew she had to move, as Ardeth left to run interference and meet up with another one of the Medjai's allies; she made her way back to Hananuptra.

Ardeth had insisted for some of his men to accompany her back into the ruins for extra safety. In the case of the man-eating beetles, booby traps or any other hidden ancient curses that she may not be aware of.

Hera ventured once more into the hallways where they had mummified the pharaohs of old, she walked past the base of Anubis's feet where many had already sealed their fate. She walked til she found herself back into the chamber below, where the false Imhotep's sarcophagus still leaned against the posing wall.

The men stood back against the farest wall near the entrance as Hera examined the walls before looking to the sandy stone beneath her feet and wondered if it could be that simple...that coincidental.

Life was strange without a doubt.

Thus with a cleaning spell she learned along with Hermione when they were only first years. She swept away the sand. Her voice came out with a gasp as she saw the intrinsic carvings that matched those in the scroll left by one of the Medjai in the time when the real Imhotep had lived and been cursed.

She kneeled upon the floor, hands hovering above the markings before comparing them to the scroll that she had taken from her bag.

"They are runes."

Her smile widened and a laugh came from her that made the Medjai jump from behind her. She didn't mind them instead she pulled out the letters from the future, behind them were the same runes. One that looked like a crane with a hand grabbing it around its legs, another looked like a spindly tree with its boughs only at the very top.

"Year. Earth…" One with a long stick with swirling lines through the center. "Snake!"

Putting an arm into her bag she called forth one of her Parselmagic tomes. She remembered seeing that symbol in one of the chapters she had read not long ago. Quickly she spread out the parchment, letters and tome beside each other.

Parselmagic, of course. Snakes were very important in Egyptian culture.

Under her breath she sounded out the runes in the pattern from the letters, until she was sure it was right.

Turning back to the men, she called out to them in Arabic; "Please, stand back. This might cause a small earthquake or power surge."

The men looked nervously at each other before obeying her and stepping further into the hallway parallel to the room she was in. Still they watched eyes filled with equal amounts of apprehension and awe.

Taking a deep breath, Hera turned back to runes in front of her. Taking her wand in her hand she sliced open her palm allowing the blood to pool in the engravings of the runes.

Speaking once more this time in Parseltongue:

~"I willingly give my blood so that another can live. I willingly give my magic toward another so they can be free."~

The runes glowed and the ground trembled beneath her feet as she recited the runes over and over her voice a low hum beneath the thunderous explosion of power and light that flooded the room. The floor disappeared from beneath her feet making her fall about six feet landing on her knees below.

She winced but stood on shaking legs and allowed her magic to fill the room as it brightened around her.

Her magic had not left her after she finished the chanting but instead clung at her pulling her every which way until it settled and her gaze fell upon the coffin like structure in the center of the room. It sat atop a dais and the sarcophagus itself was like nothing she'd seen before. Instead of stone it was shiny like metal. As she neared it, she was amazed to see that she could see through the top. Her cheeks flushed as her eyes laid upon the scantily clad man that laid beneath what appeared to be glass at the top of the metal encasing. He was beautiful. Sculpted ebony features, a lean but muscular frame with a toned stomach and legs. As she stared down at him she realized she could see movement from beneath his eyelids, a feeling of horror flooding through her, overwhelming her brief moment of awe.

Had he been aware all this time? Trapped, alone and aware all this time.

A wave of nausea rushed up from her stomach and Hera had to quickly sit on the steps below the metal encased coffin before she heaved upon it.

Gasping, her hands on her knees and tears rolling down her cheeks. "I promise I'll free you."

Gathering her wits by taking deep breaths; in and out, in and out. Hera could feel her heartbeat settle, and her shaking lessen to a manageable amount. She stood once more on shaky legs, as if she were getting used to sea legs before moving back up to the top of the dais. This time she didn't allow herself to get distracted by the handsome face and instead focused upon the sides of the encasing.

"Fascinating."

It was almost like a sci-fi panel at the base of the encasing. The runes were there once more but this time they were buttons and beside them was what looked like an impression of a hand. Rivelets once again engraved upon it where veins would be in a hand, with a sigh Hera raised the hand she sliced open realizing the impression was for a left hand on not a right.

Once more she sliced her hand, allowing the blood to pool this time in the handprints rivulets before placing her hand down upon it. It began to glow, reminiscent of her own killing curse eyes little did she know for the world still was colorless before her. The buttons for that's what they seemed to be glowed beside the handprint; and this time Hera pressed them down in the order from the letters.

The whole panel began to glow with the same emerald glow before it disappeared completely from beneath her hand, and a click was heard from above the encasement. Quickly Hera ran to the front of it and watched with amazement as the glass slid to the side and opened.

Holding her breath slightly, crimson tendrils of her hair fell upon the man before her as she peered down at him awaiting the time where he'd awake.

She stood at his side for nearly ten minutes, but beside his breathing picking up to a more realistic pace (so she knew he was no longer in stasis) he did not change.

Running a quick medical diagnostic spell over his body, she found all his primary functions were working as they should. However the spell that kept him from awaking had yet to be lifted.

Her mind flitted to the old fairy tale books Hermione and her would read in kindergarten holed up in the library instead of being out at recess like the other children. The tale of Snow White flitting through her mind.

Another blush came upon her, "True love's kiss." Could such a silly notion actually break an ancient old spell?

The consent issues of kissing someone that couldn't say anything about it bothered Hera, she could hear Akasuki's voice in her head chiding her. But if it could break the spell wasn't it worth it?

"I'll apologize when he awakes."

Hera squirmed for a moment before taking a deep breath and leaning over the body.

"Just a quick kiss. It's just two sets of lips touching. I can do this."

Another breath, before Hera closed her arsenic eyes and pressed a gentle kiss upon his full lips.

As soon as their lips met, just like the tales of old, a surge of power burst from them as the spell was broken.

Dark eyelashes fluttered and Hera rose, her voice caught in her throat as her eyes met his abyss-like eyes.


	7. An Imposter's Fate

He was only awake for the briefest of moments before he succumbed to sleep once more. His body seeking to repair itself after the fathomless amount of time stuck in stasis.

The one look that he gave had shook Hera to her core, for then she knew she was his and he was hers. Even as the color of the world bled into the once bland scape it had been before, she still stared down at him in awe.

She shook her head before casting another diagnostic scan. After seeing that his body was functioning as it should, and merely resting to gather up its strength; she confirmed that it would be safe to move him.

Casting a gentle Wingardium Leviosa on his body she went to the back of the room where a hidden staircase sat awaiting for the day the occupant of the age old room would at last be set free.

In full battle regalia, Hera went back towards Hananuptra; having left her soulmate to recover safely at the Medjai encampment.

From the history books, she knew what was about to come about in principal. However, now she knew she was part of that history. She had to stop the imposter no matter what.

Death had also given her a side mission, as well, that would end up working well with her plans.

As she reached the crest of dunes that would show the view of Hananuptra a powerful sand twister went by ahead, before stopping abruptly.

Falling to her stomach on the dunes, she looked over them to see Evey and the lil' coward of a tour guide Beni thrown from the twister. And who should step from the twister, of course the imposter.

Hera had wanted to be in Hamunaptra before the imposter arrived, but that plan was now ruined.

She knew that the Medjai were awaiting Ardeth's signal for battle, it was this thought that Hera heard the unmistakable sound of a turbine of an airplane above them.

Unfortunately for the passengers Imposter-Imhotep had saw them as well.

Squinting up at the plane as he flew a little lower, Hera could barely make out what looked like two people hanging off both sets of wings.

"Merlin, of course."

As if by the signal of her words the Imposter sent a tsunami of sand after the airship.

Hera tried several spells to keep the aircraft stabilized in the storm of sand, but having all those particles of sand in the way was disrupting how the spells worked.

Glancing behind she noticed Evey going in for a kiss with the Imposter, eyes widened as that seemed to work; at least for a moment.

However the airship had already been destroyed in the storm, so as it fell from the sky; Hera ran to the dunes where it was about to smash. Quickly as she could she used her wandless magic in one hand and her wand in the other to make the gents to abandon the ship safely before the airship crashed.

Running over to the men as they stood and wavering legs after their ride from hell.

"Hello boys! Need some help!"

Ardeth looked from where he was unattaching the machine gun off the airship, nodding quickly; "My lady."

"I found him, Ardeth."

He stopped, eyes wide and jumped from the airship and made his way towards her.

"Where is he now?"

"He's safe at your encampment, protected by your men. He needs to restore his energy but other than that he's going to be fine."

A look of awe and brief joy flickered across the solemn face of the Medjai chieftain.

"Um...guys! A little help here."

Hera looked over to where Jonathan was still attached to the only wing that wasn't broken in half.

"Here." With a wave of her wand, she freed him from his restraints.

His forget-me-not eyes wide. "What the bloody hell…"

However she was already kneeling before the old man, beside Rick.

"Is he…?"

He nodded.

"It seems he at least died happy. I've never quite seen such a happy face before of one who has faced death."

Rick nodded once more before jumping back as the ship began to sink.

"Quicksand!"

Ardeth had left to get his men, knowing that with Hera by their side O'Connell and Carnahan would have an advantage until he came back.

Back into the ruins depths the three went, this time Hera had her wand ready despite the curious looks the boys gave her.

"What is that thing anyway?" Jonathan looked at the stick in her hand warily.

"I told you, it's a tool. I suppose you could say a tool of my trade if you will."

Hera walked ahead casting a Lumos. Smiling at Rick who only glanced her way with a shake of his head.

They walked a ways down the tunnel of ancient tomb corridors when a shriek from Jonathan came from behind them as a beetle dug under his skin. Rick cut it out, and Hera cast a quick Episkey on the wound. Jonathan jumped as the beetle jumped as well. Before Hera could stop Rick, he had shot the beetle.

"Idiot! Now he knows we are here!"

Hera looked at Rick, "I hate to say this but we should split up."

Rick looked at her while cocking his gun.

"I know where the room is that the Imposter-Imhotep would take Evey. Best case scenario I'll be back here in a minute."

Rick looked at Hera, "What in the world are you talking about…"

Hera grinned before spinning in place and disappearing before both men's eyes.

Hera reappeared in the sacrificial chamber, just as she imagined. Thanking Death for having given her the plans of the place. She could have brought the boys with her, but for what she had planned they would need the space for a battle. The best way to do this was to draw the Imposter back outside of Hamunuptra.

Looking around the dark, only torch lit room; no one was there except for a waking up Evey on a sacrificial pyre. Hurrying over she covered Evey's mouth just as she was about to scream at facing the mummy beside her.

"Shh...Evey...It's me."

"Hera?" Evey's eyes flickered up to Hera's. Her eyes glanced down at the stick in her friend's hand that with a quick wave she was released from her binds. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just awakening the real Imhotep who happens to be my soulmate. Then, rescuing the boys from their doomed flight and then coming to rescue you of course."

Evey's pink lips parted and she looked completely confused for a moment.

"What do you mean by the real Imhotep?"

"So you've come." A voice from their right startled both the women, as it spoke in Ancient Egyptian. Hera stood in front of Evey, keeping her protected behind her.

"Hello Imhotep, oh wait that's not your real name now is it?" Hera's eyes flashed with poisonous glare.

The rejuvenated mummy strode forward a smirk on his lips.

"All alone and where is the great hero?"

Hera smirked right back, but it came forth more like a sarcastic sneer.

"You are about to regret ever touching him."

The Imposter towered over both of them, "Ah, and what are you going to do, little mouse?"

With a wave of his hands a sergeant of the undead strode forward at his command.

Taking Evey by the waist, Hera only grinned and spinned in place. Arriving back in place where Jonathan and Rick were fighting off their own wave of the dead themselves.

"Boys its time to run!"

Waving her wand, Hera sent a strong current of her magic at the hordes making them only temporarily incompacitated.

"Rick grab Evey for me would you?"

Rick swung a slightly faint Evey over his shoulder and followed Hera and Jonathan as they ran back to the entrance.

As they fled from the ruins they saw the legion of Medjai with their leader at the forefront.

Ardeth bowed his head at Hera, while only nodding his head in acknowledgement at the other three.

"We await your orders, my lady."

"Hold on, what the hell is going on here!" Rick had set Evey down and now looked down at the tiny young woman that had been traveling with them.

"We are ending the existence of a monster and reviving the magic of Egypt while we are at it."

No sooner had she spoken that the sandstorm with a face arrived before the army of Medjai, behind him the long dead.

Hera stepped forward, "Evey, Rick, Jonathan, this fight is mine. You can join, however the stakes are far higher than what you might think and once you see what's next there is no going back."

Evey stepped forward a hand upon Hera's bare shoulder, "You saved me and seem to know much more about what we face than we gave you credit for." She shrugged and smiled, "The Bembridge Scholars have nothing on what I've seen and I wish to stand by your side as you change everything once more."

Hera smiled, "You have quite the fighting spirit all on your own." Turning towards Rick and Jonathan, "What about you two?"

Jonathan looked between the army behind them, and the one before them. "What little I've seen with that tool...no...wand of yours…" He grinned wide, "I'd much rather stay on your side."

"Rick?"

He let out an exasperated laugh, "I'm already in."

Hera smiled, "It might end up to be a very anti-climatic finish but I hope you all still enjoy it."

Stepping forward her body clad in leather straps, high waisted pants, and Egyptian style bandeau she grinned at the army of the dead.

"Imposter! Do you really think you can win with the dead on your side?"

False-Imhotep stepped forward grinning maliciously, "What can a mere mortal do to me?" Lifting his hand in the air and letting it down in a signal he commanded his army of dead, "Kill them all. Leave her for me."

As the dead wrapped in cloth of long ago surged forward, Hera ran to meet them with a laugh on her lips.

"First mistake you made was assuming that I am mortal." Her wand in her hoster on her leg and her arms spread wide she grinned, "I am Fire!" Flames rushed to meet the masses decimating the first wave to ashes.

The False Imhotep's eyes narrowed, and then signaled for the next wave.

"Stop!" Hera shouted at the masses, they froze in place. A wicked grin stretching her lips across her teeth. "I am Death!"

The False Imhotep's eyes widened this time and he stumbled back, as the figure of Anubis rose from the flame haired women's shadow.

"How?"

The woman stood over him as the dead remained frozen around them.

She whispered to Anubis in the tongue of snakes, ~"They are yours." ~

Darkness surged from the hands of Anubis grabbing ahold of all the undead dragging them towards him screaming before they were completely gone from the desert even their ashes were now in Death's grasp.

Her hand rested upon the Book of the Dead in the imposter's arms, allowing her power to seep into each of its pages; disintegrating all the old texts until the book no longer existed leaving the imposter's hands empty.

"I told you, you would regret ever hurting my soulmate." Her eyes burned with an emerald fire. "Imhotep, would you like to do the honors of finishing off the one who betrayed and enslaved you?"

Hera did not need to turn around to see that her soulmate was behind her, his magic wrapped around her like a soft gentle breeze embracing her from behind.

In rich embers of a deep chocolaty voice came his reply, "Of course, my queen."


	8. Imhotep

When Imhotep had awoken from his sleep, he had found a billowing tent ceiling above his head and a comfortable mattress beneath him.

His alexandrite eyes at last taking in colors once more. He had forgotten about their vibrancy. Before Egypt, before he had arrived on Terra he had existed in another realm where soulmates had not existed. Where the emptiness he felt was unexplained, where he roamed the universe in search for something, anything to fill it. It was by chance that he happened upon Terra and its dimension where soulmates existed. Brilliant eyes flashed through his mind, greener than the grasses by the Nile.

After arriving on Terra, he had found the humans to be in their early stages of development. They had just begun to create new things, at the start of their innovative age. Knowing he would never be able to return to the dimension of his birth, he had settled among some whose development he felt he could naturally nurture. Their language was similar to his own, hieroglyphic in nature, he was able to learn it quickly.

He helped them further develop their language, architecture, and sciences. With a fresh point of view he was able to easily resolve disputes, and the land along the Nile became prosperous and peaceful.

Among some he found an ability much like his; the ability to manipulate the space around himself. Among these he made several trusted associates, to the people they were blessed by the gods and were priests. However, he knew the truth of the energy that flowed through their veins.

However the peace wouldn't last, in a moment of trust, he was betrayed. One of his comrades stole his name and turned his reputation into something ugly. His name no longer held its original meaning "one who comes in peace," it turned into a tool for the imposter to rise to power. The old king was dead and the new reigning pharaoh had never seen Imhotep's face; the people long forgot who held the name. The Medjai were the only ones that remembered they protected him and helped him put in place a plan in case the worst happened.

Imhotep threw an arm over his face and let out a sigh.

The only saving grace through the time he was trapped were his visions of his soulmate. He had been seeing glimpses of her since his arrival on Terra, the glimpses of her were enough for him to know she wouldn't come arrive for a long time.

Sitting up his brow ridge furrowed, there were certain things that were still not explained.

The glint of the sun off the sand outside filtered in through the front of the tent as a Medjai came through. He was frozen in place before immediately bowing his head and throwing his arm across his chest, it was clumsy but it seemed that certain things had still filtered down through time.

"At ease. Where is the match to my soul?" Imhotep's voice was rough from misuse, but the language still fell from his lips just as easily as it had before his imprisonment.

It seemed however the dialect had changed in the centuries he was gone, the man wrapped in worn linen shook his head before parting.

Not long after the man left another came in his place, this time the language of old fell from his lips, "You have awoken." A fist to his chest and quick bow, before the man once more stood tall. "We have set aside water for cleansing, a change of clothes and sustenance. Once you are ready, we will take you to her."

The man bowed stiffly before leaving the tent.

"First mistake you made was assuming that I am mortal."

She was glorious. Her hair flared in the wind like an open flame. She stood before the raging dead as if they were nothing, and she proved they were indeed nothing.

Dimly he could hear the whispers, both in Angli and Kumat, but his eyes were transfixed on the other half of his soul. She stood at the center and behind her rose Death. Imhotep was striding toward his other half before he acknowledged his actions, his power thrumming to the beat of his heart at his fingertips.

The legend of the Master of Death was known even in his dimension, eyes narrowed as he heard the almost musical hissing sound of the language of snakes. In a matter of minutes she had destroyed the imposter's army and his only way of getting another one.

Imhotep was in hands reach of her now, her pale arms seemed to almost glow from the energy that flowed through her veins. His power seeping back into his pores. The overwhelming desire to touch her, caress her and cherish her came upon him; a smile upon his lips as she turned toward him with a triumphant smile.

"Send him to the abyss. Let him rest in peace beside the other half of his soul."

A softness came to her features, "Living well will be the best revenge." Turning back to the imposter, "Be grateful, after all he is far more merciful than I. Rest in peace and never wake again." With a flick of her fingers toward the large shadow behind them, "Anubis shall you do the honors?"

The giant with the head of a golden jackal only nodded, "As you wish, Mistress."

The imposter who had sat in terror could only stare up in horror as the shadow of Anubis overcame him sending him where he belonged.

As the danger disappeared the two soulmates were left standing before each other, gazing into each other's eyes.

"May I touch you?" He had raised one hand, but it hovered in the space between them.

Her eyes crinkled with joy as she stared up at him, taking deep breaths; she nodded.

He raised his other hand, so that both hovered on either side of her just a hairs-breadth from touching her skin.

Taking in a deep breath of his own, he stepped closer to her; his head tilted down at her, and his hands resting gently upon her skin. It was oddly cool despite the heat around them. He caressed each arm with his thumb, back and forth on the underside of her arm. A shiver went through her body, and she hitched in a breath. His full lips' corners tilted up ever so slightly, and he leaned forward so that his mouth hovered just outside the shell of her ear.

"Are you cold?"

"Huh?"

From behind her Imhotep's lips pulled completely into a smile. He stepped back ever so slightly giving her room, humming in question.

"Um…" She bit on the corner of her bottom lip, he reached out and gently separated her lip from her teeth before gazing into her eyes, his hand resting upon her chin lightly.

She took in a deep breath, her Terra green eyes widening. "No, I am not cold."

He held in the chuckle that threatened to rise up his throat, she was blushing and her eyes were transfixed upon his. However, too soon they parted from each other as a voice came shouting as a person ran up to them.

"That was bloody brilliant!"

Imhotep turned his head away reluctantly as his soulmate had done so as well.

It was one of the companions, the Medjai had told him about, that had come with Hera to Hamunaptra. Though they had come with the goal of digging up the ancient burial sites for study and greed purposes; whereas his soulmate had come to free him.

The man was leaning over his knees letting out puffs of air from the minor sprint he made to their sides from above the dunes.

A tickling of irritation had started to rise up within Imhotep, for he had the desire to have his soulmate to himself. It was ever so selfish, which wasn't like him, however as he turned his head and peered at the young woman beside him with her bright eyes and widening grin he couldn't begrudge himself for being a little selfish.

She turned toward him, and as if sensing how he felt she slipped her hand into his before giving a slightly apologetic smile.

"I suppose it was." Her voice was calm and almost lyrical.

They were soon joined by another woman and a man who had his arm around her.

"Oh, Jonathan can't you for once read a moment?!" Turning towards where Imhotep and Hera was, she glanced almost shyly up at him, "I apologize for my brother's utter lack of tact."

A small slightly high pitched giggle came from his right, where his soulmate stood. She glanced at him and blushed.

"I suppose I should make some introductions."

Gesturing to the rugged man to the left, "Rick O'Connell ex-soldier and reluctant adventurer extraordinaire."

The woman beside the man named Rick let out a laugh, before covering with a cough and smiling. With an unsure look crossing her face, she made an attempt at a curtsey and said, "I'm Evey Carnahan, and that unmannerly lump over there is my older brother, Jonathan. I…" She seemed to hesitate, before turning towards the red haired woman still holding his hand, "I apologize for not listening to you. I should have listened to you when you warned us."

His soulmate nodded gratefully. He turned toward her and allowed a chuckle to rumble through him; a smile reappearing upon his lips as he saw her flush once more.

"Soulmate, what is it you are called?"

She let out a gasp and looked to him, her hands covered her mouth in embarrassment, "I never told you. How could I not tell you?"

Taking both hands away from her face, he bent towards her so that they were at eye level.

"I forgive you, my flame. Now may I have it?"

She nodded, "My name is Hera."

"Very fitting. After all it is Elliniká for 'queen'."

Her face had reddened further to the point he worried slightly for her health, squeezing her hands he straightened to his full height. "Come, my queen. I believe it's time you get some rest, after all you have had a harrowing adventure."


	9. Truths Unveiled

He was staring and she couldn't stop blushing. He seemed to watch in wonder at everything she did. On one hand Hera wished to ask him to stop but she stopped herself every time she opened her mouth to do so, imagining herself in his place...waiting as long as he did for his soulmate.

He seemed to read her mind before she had even thought of the question she wished to ask, "You have questions for me, my queen."

She blushed again and fought the overwhelming urge to hide her face. She was eating after all.

"I'm sure you have many yourself. Perhaps we could…." She shook her head, 20 Questions seemed so silly of a game when she thought to mention it.

As she glanced up at his eyes, she was lost for a moment. She had at first thought his eyes were black, but there were hints of color...instead they were the deepest shade of amethyst she'd ever seen.

"Yes?"

Hera was lost for a moment. He was ever so handsome, but in a sort of almost otherworldly way. His dark skin shone almost like it had microscopic diamonds within it, his features seemed to tell her that he was more than what she could see right at that moment. It was as if it were a glamour, but she didn't sense that kind of magic coming from him. His skin was soft. Hera blinked and realized she had just reached out to touch his face, she quickly withdrew her hand but he caught it within his own.

"Please tell me whatever you wish."

Hera glanced down at her plate that was upon the low table before her.

"There's this game where it helps people get to know each other. You ask twenty questions of each other, but you do so going back and forth. I thought maybe we could do something like that."

The softest tap on her chin brought her gaze up to meet his. His gleaming head tilted to the side.

"Sounds like a good way to get to know one another, you may go first if you wish."

She nodded, "This is probably a silly first question but how can you speak English?"

"If you are speaking of the language we are speaking right now…"

She nodded in response.

He continued, "I travelled far when I first arrived at Terra. One of the groups of humans I came across were the Angul-Seaxan_._"

Her brows wrinkled at his phrasing, the way he said it almost made him sound like he was an alien. She shook her head at that silly thought, she was sure something must have been lost in translation.

Muttering underneath her breath, "Angul-Seaxan...oh the Anglo-Saxons. Yes, they were the earliest recorded people to speak English."

He merely smiled before taking one of the flatbreads from the basket at the center of the table.

"How were you able to find me?"

Hera took a deep breath, "Well, there's many answers to that one question."

He leaned back upon the pillows behind him, "Perhaps to begin how did you know of me?"

Hera patted her cheeks as she felt them flame up again, "At the school...um academy where those who have magic are taught there is a great archive of texts. My sisters and I were all very studious and enjoyed researching. Since two of us had not found our soulmates yet, we made it our project to research soulmates and soul bonds. How did they come about? What were the earliest cases? That sort of thing." Hera glanced up hoping her English wasn't too confusing in comparison to his, she continued as he nodded toward her. "This is how we came across your legend. You see, it seems in the future you will write to me, the future me." Hera shook her head, "I suppose that's a bit confusing."

"I understand, please continue."

"All the letters were written both in English and in Egyptian hieroglyphs. All starting with 'My Queen'. There were occasionally small clues here and there that made my sisters believe that I may be your soulmate, after all they were all written to this soulmate that was to be found in the future. I had also had dreams where I could hear someone humming and occasionally singing in an ancient language. It wasn't Ancient Egyptian though, we never figured out what it was." Hera shrugged. "After finishing at the academy one of our dear friends gave us instructions on finding our soulmates. Mine began with me traveling back in time 70 years from Cairo, Egypt. Luna has always had this sense about things. I've learned from the Medjai that they met her long ago on numerous occasions; I believe she may have been the one to make your hidden resting place only able to be opened by me. In the muggle...sorry non-magical world we would almost think of it as some sort of scanner of my DNA….um my essence. Actually now that I think about it, uncovering your place was only slightly magical...it instead felt like something out of a science fiction novel."

Hera nibbled on her bottom lip worried about how what she spoke of would sound to someone who lived so long ago. Glancing up she was surprised to see a smile and pleased expression on his face. He didn't seem surprised by anything.

"I did leave several instructions for the Medjai on the chance that the imposter had gotten a hold of me. However, to have it keyed into your very genetic material is unexpected. I suppose your Luna had gone farther back than you realized."

Hera blinked at his wording.

"You speak as if you are…" How could she word it without it coming off sounding horrible.

"Please continue, don't fear upsetting me."

"Well, I suppose this is another odd question but are you perhaps not from Earth?" Hera winced right after she finished saying it, immediately regretting what she said. "Not that you don't look human or anything! I mean you look more beautiful...um...handsome than anyone I've ever seen. Or maybe you are actually from the future and then got stuck in the past?" She tilted her head back, and winced once more. She just couldn't seem to say anything without absolutely embarrassing herself before him.

A deliciously deep joyous laugh from in front of her caused her to make eye contact once more with her soulmate and his laughing features. She shifted her legs so they were to the side, before looking back toward him embarrassed.

"Oh my beloved, I am not laughing at you." He leaned forward his elbows upon his legs as he leaned forward, "I am not of terrestrial origin, you are correct." He tilted his head to the side, but kept his gaze locked with hers, "My kind can shift into any intelligent being that we have been in contact with and know their biology."

Hera sat her mouth slightly slack, she had definitely not been expecting that answer. "So are your features now that of someone else's you've seen?"

He shook his head, "It is merely the result of compiling data and finding what features were closest to my original form. This is the face and body I've had since associating with the humans of Terra."

"Are your eyes the same color in your original form?"

He smiled and nodded, "Do you like them my queen?"

Hera let out a sigh, "Yes. I don't think I'll ever stop blushing around you." Shaking her head slightly, she forced herself to catch his amused gaze once more, "Um...it's your turn." She patted her warm cheeks hoping the redness would dissipate.

His expression turned serious but his eyes still were kind, "Are you afraid of me?"

Hera blinked in response, "I don't think I am. I'm unsure about a couple things, but I'm sure things will get more clear the more we speak."

A tension she hadn't even noticed he had left him and he relaxed against the pillows behind him once again.

"Your turn."

Hera tilted her head, "There are so many questions I want to ask about the whole not native to Earth thing, but I think I should start with Earth questions first or else I'll get lost asking about everything. So, for my next question: How much did you know about me, your soulmate?"

His lips tilted up even more, "Ever since I came into this dimension through the dark void, I've been seeing visions of you. My vision turned into simpler shades and I was no longer able to see the full color spectrum, however I could get a sense about you. I saw glimpses of you from a young child to the woman you are now. The glimpses were always silent, so I was unable to hear your voice however I could tell you had been through many hardships but also many adventures. When it came to the time where I knew I was going to be caught by the imposter, the Medjai had instructions regarding guiding my soulmate to me; I already knew you would be able to achieve anything you set your mind to."

Hera shifted slightly uncomfortable with the thought of him seeing her at some of her weakest points, but she shook her head.

"You came through a wormhole to this dimension?"

He nodded, "My original dimension did not have soulmates. My species was monogamous, however I was never able to find someone."

"Couldn't your...species still exist out there?"

He tilted his head to the side, "There is always a possibility however the introduction of soulmates into their history I believe would have greatly changed their history."

As Hera opened her mouth to ask another question, he shook his head, his grin wider.

"I believe it is my turn."

She nodded. He was just so fascinating. She knew he would be interesting just from what she had already known about him but he was even more so.

"You've mentioned your sisters, are they sisters from birth or choice?"

Hera brightened but she could feel the ever so slight bittersweet smile appear upon her lips as she remembered how greatly she missed them all.

"I suppose you can say by choice. There is however a kind of magic that happens when two magic users meet. As an example, when I met my first sister Hermione. I was raised...no that's not the right word." Hera leaned forward trying to find somewhere to rest her elbow, so she could rest her hand on it.

"Would you like to come over here?" Imhotep gestured to his side, where there were several cushions arranged in an almost cocoon of comfort.

Hesitantly and almost shyly Hera made her way over to his side. Sitting still a pace away from him, worried if she was any closer she would stammer and blush and wouldn't be able to get any words out. Even now she could feel the fluttering in her stomach as he gazed at her attentively. She scooted until she had a cushion and pillow at her back, then grabbed a pillow to hold in front of her.

With a sigh she continued her story, holding the pillow tightly to herself. "There was a rebellion among several fascist groups in my world at the time of my birth. My birth parents who had put their trust in the wrong person were murdered and I was barely saved by one of my godparents. The hidden leader of one of the groups was deep in the politics of the world at the time and was able to gain control of where I was put, through several illegal means." Hera let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and turned her head as Imhotep had reached out to hold her hand.

A small weak smile appeared upon her lips as she took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. "He put me with some relatives of my late mother who were non-magical folk who hated magic. They treated me like a burden, like a thing to be hidden away under the stairs." His hand tightened around hers, and Hera glanced up at his features that were strangely calm looking except for his eyes that blazed from within. "I was treated as little more than a slave, and it wasn't until I was allowed to go to school that I really was able to meet anyone outside of that very small world. However, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. There I met Hermione, and immediately there was this connection, a spark. She could almost instantly sense everything that was wrong, and she made sure her parents knew. From there I was taken away from those abusive beginnings and I was taken into the arms of my sister's family. My godfather was able to find me, since I was no longer under the wards the other had put me under. When I attended the magic academy I met Akasuki, and immediately I had the same connection. They became my strengths when facing what the magic world had in store for me."

When she finished, she felt wetness on her cheeks. Hera turned toward her soulmate who was gazing at her with the kindest expression she had ever seen on someone. He opened his arms towards her.

"I would like to embrace you. May I?"

She nodded, and crawled closer to him. He wrapped his strong arms around her and his magic washed over her once more making her feel absolutely safe. Hera even allowed him to pull her closer so that she was sitting over him, her feet on the other side of him and her head leaned against his chest.

She opened her eyes. His arms were still wrapped around her snugly but not too tightly. He was gentle with her and yet he seemed to treat her as something to cherish and not something fragile.

"Have you awoken, my flame?"

She tilted her head up to find him smiling gently down upon her, his eyes already holding so much emotion for her. She wanted to think it was love that was shown from their depths, but she was afraid suddenly, that it wasn't.

"May I kiss your forehead, my queen?"

She nodded, her words not yet coming forth. As his lips brushed against her forehead, her eyes fluttered closed once more.

"I had to kiss you to break the curse. I was unable to ask you then, so I owe you an apology."

His chest rumbled as he chuckled and his head tipped downwards so that his forehead was now upon her own.

"You did what needed to be done, if anything you owe me the chance to steal a kiss back."

Hera didn't need the warmth upon her cheeks to know that she was red once more. Her heart had begun to beat faster as soon as he had asked for the first kiss.

"May I?"

She let out a slight nervous laugh, "It is not stolen, if you…"

She was stopped as his two plump lips came upon her own. Her eyes widened taking in his own dark purple ones, before closing them as his lips gently moved against her lips. He was so gentle and tender, and yet she wanted more. Hesitantly she responded back and moved her own lips against his, his lips separated from hers too soon.

"That was the kiss I asked for, and this is the kiss I'll steal."

Then his lips were upon hers once more, this time she felt as his tongue upon the seam of her own. She parted her lips and he drew her closer in his arms, his hands on either side of her head as he tilted his head down.


	10. First Steps

Hera found herself blushing as she met her soulmate's eyes as she woke the next morning in his arms. After his kisses the night before, he had embraced her and they had slept together in each other's arms. It was the safest Hera had ever felt like in her whole life.

"Hera?"

Hera glanced up and found his amethyst eyes swirling with kindness and the ever so dips of concern.

"Yes?"

His large hands cupped her cheeks and his forehead rested against her forehead, "I'm here, now."

"Ok."

His full lips tilted up, and he rolled from the mattress and went over to the basin to wash his face.

Hera smiled, "I have better facilities in my tent if you like."

He turned his shining head towards her, and she stood from the bed.

Imhotep followed her outside the tent and watched as from her small bag she pulled out a small box that she then enlarged into a tent. Once following her inside he found himself instead inside a grand hall instead of a tent.

Hera grinned and looked over her shoulder at him, "The girls and I had to rough it for awhile. I had quite the inheritance and so I got the best tent that the Wizarding World could offer which just happened to offer the emmenties of a nice manor house."

Hera turned to find her soulmate a little awestruck and giggled.

"It was even more extravagant than this originally but the girls and I toned it down quite a bit, so its much more tasteful now. It's also more in line with my aesthetic; which I've always been interested in with ancient cultures. Since we kind of always knew I would have to travel somewhere to my soulmate we decided that I might as well have a nice 'tent' manor."

Hera walked over to Imhotep and took his hand into hers, "Come, I'll give you a tour later. However, we need to get refreshed because we have much to do today." She squeezed his hand before calling out to one of the two house elves bound to the tent manor "Solzy, please come here."

In popped the wife house elf that was bound to the tent manor and Hera, dressed in a pillowcase that was made into a toga with beautiful vine details worked throughout it and the Peverell crest on the front and the Potter crest on the back.

"Oh, Mistress! Is this him?"

Hera smiled and looked over to Imhotep.

"Yes, this is Imhotep."

Imhotep was already kneeling down and smiling at the creature, "How do you do?"

Solsy stepped forward and hugged Imhotep's knees, "He's nice, Mistress."

Imhotep watched the small creature no doubt interested in its magic, and Hera watched him curiously wondering if he could see the bonds.

"House elves magic is unstable without binding themselves to another's magic. So throughout the ages they have decided to bind themselves to wizarding families in order to stabilize their magic while also caring for the family. Sadly not all wizarding families appreciate this and treat the elves with disrespect."

"Mistress saved Solzy!"

"Yes, Solzy and later her bond mate were two such elves that were mistreated. When the girls and I were on the run we were able to rescue them and the elves decided to bind themselves to me and the tent manor." Hera turned back toward Solzy, "Solzy, can you please bring Imhotep to the guest suite so he can get refreshed? Then be there for him to bring him back for breakfast. I'm thinking of having the Medjai, the Carnahans and O'Connell here for breakfast."

"Yes, Mistress."

"I'll see you soon." Hera smiled and blushed as Imhotep leaned forward to brush his lips against her cheek before he reached down to hold Solzy's hand before being swept away.

Hera turned on her toes and went to her suite to quickly do the same.

~Time Skip~

Hera was out of her suite and out of the tent before Solzy had re-directed Imhotep to the dining room like she hoped.

Taking a deep breath she made her way to her easiest target's tents first, "Evey, Jonathan, Rick, are any of you awake yet?"

"I've been awake since dawn."

Hera was quite proud of herself that she didn't jump, instead she turned and gave a wry smile toward Rick.

"Have you eaten?"

He shrugged, "Some jerky and some left over whiskey."

Hera shook her head, "How have you survived this long? Breakfast at my tent is being served for everyone."

Jonathan's head popped out of the tent, "Did I hear something about whiskey and breakfast?"

Evey came through completely dressed and put together, "There's breakfast?"

Hera smiled, "Yes, please make your way into my tent. Call for Korrey, and he'll help you to the dining room."

Evey tilted her head, her dark eyes scanning Hera's features trying to find some clue to the answer to the many questions she had popping up in her mind, "You have a dining room in your tent?"

Hera just smiled.

Jonathan looked between his sister and Hera, "Who's Korrey?"

Hera turned to him, "He's a house elf. He's a bit grumpy, but he's a good soul. Kind of like how Rick was when you first met him."

Jonathan's eyes widened, "A house elf! What!"

"Just go! It's best to get the best seats in the house now before I get the Medjai."

Hera stood by Rick who hung back with her as they watched his soulmate and her brother go around the corner and enter the tent before Jonathan's yell rang out, "Bloody hell!" Followed quickly by Evey's exclamation of "Oh my dear lord!"

Hera let out a laugh and looked over at Rick, "Well you better follow after them, don't you think?"

Rick sighed and raised an eyebrow, "Things are never going to settle down around you are they, kid?"

"That would be rather boring wouldn't it?"

He let out a huff of laughter and rubbed his neck, "I suppose it would."

As soon as Rick left, it didn't take long for Hera to find Ardeth. It seemed like she was already a little late for most of the men's usual early meal but most had another right about now so she asked if they'd wish to enjoy the buffet breakfast in her tent. All the Medjai were invited; men, women and children. The word spread quickly thankfully and by the time Hera arrived back to the tent after helping with some elderly and some injured ones the dining area was packed with a mixture of facial expressions.

Ardeth who had been curious had been awed at the preparation, for after just a couple days stationed near the Medjai camp Hera's house elves were able to fluently speak and write in the Mejai's dialect. So along with Kumat and English, there were also labels with the Medjai translations of the food next to each item on the tables.

Hera was glad that the manor no longer looked like it did when she first bought it, like the English manors but instead it was a nice mixture of Mediterranean that would hold similarities to the desert people's culture.

All in all Hera looked over everyone and thought it was a good start to the first day toward bridging the gap between the two people's, perhaps mending some bridges and gaining some trust back so that they could move forward for the betterment of Magical Egypt.


End file.
